I probably could have written this review on Thursday evening, but I was too busy watching this episode multiple times in order to appreciate all the hilarity. This episode marks a very promising return for Parks, setting us up for the rest of this season's arc and of course supplying us with countless laughs.
We find our campaign team (aka the Parks Department goofballs) struggling to decide how best to re-launch Leslie's campaign for City Council. Leslie hires Ann as her campaign manager, despite the fact that Ann has no experience or inclination to do the job. Together they plan a rally for Leslie's supporters at the local sports arena. There's no way this won't end in disaster, right?
For the B plot, we pay a visit to Ben, who is on something of a downward spiral. He's lounging and cooking and (in one of my favorite recent subplots) teaching himself to make claymation videos. It seems that losing his job has unhinged him just a little bit, and Chris naturally becomes concerned that his friend has fallen into something of a depression, although he might just be jealous that he didn't dream up the "Low-Cal Calzone Zone" first.
I should probably mention at this point that April and Andy have adopted a dog. Named Champion. Who has three legs. And who apparently must attend all campaign-related events with his new owners.
But back to the brewing catastrophe. Ron, Tom, and the Dwyers get sidetracked on their way to the rally by the police, and need Leslie to come to their rescue. She manages to get them to the arena, where a sufficient crowd has gathered for the rally.
And then we are treated to one of the most hilarious physical comedy sequences in recent television history (and there is no way I'm overstating here). Leslie and company enter the arena triumphantly for about ten steps before the red carpet (supplied by Tom to increase the event's class factor), and then slip and slide across the ice to the tiny stage Ron has managed to erect. Oh yeah, and Gloria Estefan's "Get On Your Feet" is playing on an awkwardly repeating loop. There's really just no way my describing this scene is going to do it justice, you just have to see it for yourself.
The team gathers back and Casa Ludgate-Dwyer-Wyatt once the rally is over, and Leslie finally makes the logical decision of hiring Ben as her campaign manager. He accepts, naturally, and while part of me is very excited to see where this new thread takes them, a bigger part of me is disappointed that this means Ben will most likely never complete production on "Requiem for a Tuesday".
Judging by some of the other shows that have made returns this week, I think there has been kind of a trend of laziness, assuming viewers will be excited for anything new, even if it isn't particularly good or interesting. Not so with Parks-- "The Comeback Kid" is yet another flawless episode in a fantastic season of the best show currently on TV.
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